The Art of Love
by crz4greece
Summary: No matter how much time Chise spent with the Thorn Mage, it never seemed to be enough… she was always aching for just a little more. That was, perhaps, the reason she had taken to sketching and drawing Elias so often. It was a private piece of him that she could always have with her. Short Story.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello… I know it has been YEARS since I have posted anything. It has been way too long! I haven't abandoned Fallen Light… it's just been crazy with now having TWO children. I was really depressed for a while and didn't want to continue because I had completely lost all of my notes and outlines for the story in our last move. I am slowly picking up the pieces!**

 **Anyways… I have discovered a beautiful anime: The Ancient Magus' Bride (Mahoutsukai no yome). I decided there was not enough fanfiction out there for this fandom and wanted to added my own story. This will probably be 3-5 chapters at most… but I hope you all enjoy this first installment!**

Silver Lady sighed as she stared out the window into the gloomy and wet landscape that was England. The caretaker preferred not to have her Master and his apprentice locked up in the house too long. At the rate things were going, it seemed like the whole household would be weary-faced and melancholy because of the weather. She especially could not allow her Master's lady to remain in such a state. Turning to the counter in the kitchen, Silver picked up the tray that held some hot cocoa and quietly made her way into the lounge where all the members of her house were currently stationed for a late morning of studying.

As she entered the room, Silver neared the Sleigh beggy and saw the sketched image of the Thorn Mage coming to life on the the girl's lap. She softly leaned over Chise's shoulder and gave a soft sound of appreciation as well as letting her know that she had made a sweet treat and was waiting for her to take a cup. Chise almost jumped out of her skin and her face reddened severely.

"Oh… um…" she stuttered at the Silky while clumsily putting her graphite down and taking a cup of steaming hot cocoa off the tray that was being proffered, "Th-thanks Silver."

The Silky silently made her way to the coffee table and set the tray down in front of Elias, knowing not to disturb the Mage while he was so engrossed in his book. She quickly made her exit after seeing her Lady's face lighten from the sweet chocolate substance.

"Shouldn't you be reading instead of drawing?" Ruth peered up as the red-head curled up on the couch once more after setting down her cup on the table.

Chise gave a panicked whimper and quietly hushed the grim, "Ruth!"

She hugged the journal she had been hiding inside the larger tome that she had been pretending to read. Elias had been immersed in some ancient text for a couple of hours and had seemingly forgotten that his apprentice and her familiar still occupied the same room with him.

Ruth sighed and spoke to her through their shared thoughts; such were the perks of being the girl's familiar, " _You won't grow closer or come to understand him any better just by sitting there and sketching the Mage for hours on end. Conversation tends to help, you know."_

" _I…"_ Chise's thoughts faltered as the young apprentice glanced down at the large, elegant animal on the floor next to her.

The black dog wagged his tail to calm her nerves, reassuring her that he meant no ill-will, " _Perhaps if you shared some of your drawings with him–"_

"NO!" Chise snapped quickly, realizing too late that she had just spoken aloud.

Elias broke concentration at the outburst, "Chise, is everything alright? You seem upset."

The apprentice blushed at the Mage's concern and pressed her journal ever tighter to her chest, "Sorry… I am fine." She was determined to keep her dozens of sketches a secret.

The Thorn Mage cocked his head, "Are you sure?"

"Mhmm." She attempted to appear nonchalant but she knew Elias was becoming ever more gifted in reading her expressions and seeing through her many facades.

To her utter relief, Elias dropped the subject as he closed his book and stood, "While I loathe to go out in this rain, I have important business to attend to in the city and I can wait no longer for this weather to lighten."

"Oh… um okay. How long will you be gone?" Chise asked, a little shocked, not expecting Elias to be leaving. A part of her was saddened at the thought of his absence. No matter how much time she spent with him, it never seemed to be enough… she was always aching for just a little more. The Thorn Mage hid so much of himself from her that even when she would be in his company for long periods, Chise felt like it wasn't even real. That was, perhaps, the reason she had taken to sketching Elias so often. It was a private piece of him that she could keep.

Elias' body language showed him to be slightly annoyed and visibly tense, "Did you have other plans? I realize it is pouring rain, but you still are my apprentice and would benefit greatly from accompanying me on this trip."

She kicked herself silently, hating that she didn't understand his intentions sooner, "I'm sorry, Elias! I wasn't sure if you wanted me to come! Let me go grab my coat!" Chise jumped to her feet, making sure she had her journal and the book she should have been reading tucked under her arm as

she ran to her room to tuck them under her bed. She threw up her hair with a small rubber band, snatched the hunter green material out of her wardrobe and hastily put it on whilst running back down the steps.

"I'm ready!" Chise announced, slipping on her boots in the front entry. Silver, accompanied by Elias, emerged from the hallway carrying an umbrella and presented it to Chise with a small smile.

The Thorn Mage beckoned his apprentice and her familiar out into the rain with him and she made no hesitation to grasp his billowing robes closely as his deep voice rumbled the familiar spell that still gave her chills, _"Nettle in the shadows… false holly in a ring… entwine the branches, entangle, enmesh, spin a spider's web!"_

Once the thorns dispersed around them, Chise was met with the familiar sight of London. When she turned to find Elias, he had already used his glamour and now somewhat resembled the priest in their town, Simon. She still couldn't get used to seeing him so… normal. If she had the choice, her preference would be for him to keep his normal visage with his usual skull and horns although she knew it would draw too much unwanted attention.

"Are you coming Chise?" Elias asked, opening the umbrella that Silver had given to them before they left. Ruth jumped into what little shadow she had from the lights of the shops around them and Chise nodded to the Mage, quickly joining his side to take shelter from the onslaught of rain.

After making two house calls assigned to them by the church, the Sleigh beggy was already beginning to feel worn out. It had already been decided by the time they had arrived to the first home that the red-head would be the one to attempt to rectify the issues plaguing the families. Through Elias' excellent instruction and a little aid from Ruth, she had carried out the tasks assigned to them. Chise cast away a succubus feeding on a young man two years her junior at their first stop and then exiled an unknown entity that normally haunted cemeteries but had taken residence at an old manor. The teen really looked forward to returning home to the warm dinner that Silver would have waiting for them… the wet weather was starting to chill her and she wished she had brought a thicker coat.

Elias took Chise down a small path of art galleries that made a shortcut to Angelica's shop. She glanced around her, hoping to catch a glimpse of some of the artwork that decorated the interior walls. Chise stopped dead in her tracks as she saw a painting through a window that took her breath away. Two lovers entangled in each other's embrace were rising to the heavens. It was the most beautiful thing she had seen in her lifetime.

The disguised Mage turned, realizing that his young apprentice was no longer walking next to him. Fear gripped him at first… it wasn't uncommon for the Sleigh beggy to be snatched from his side by either friend or foe. She was truly precious.

"Chise!" Elias called out, somewhat worried until he saw the teen completely entranced by an object in a shop window. The foolish girl was soaked from head to toe from the torrential rain that was ever increasing its assault on the city.

The red-head couldn't hear anything around her… for all she knew, she was alone and time was standing still. She absorbed the image before her.

 _I wonder if Elias truly made me his bride, would he ever hold me like that?_ She had so much she wished to tell him.

"I am such a coward." Chise whispered to herself in was in love with Elias but couldn't tell him. How could he ever return such strong emotions for her when he had already admitted that any such notion would be a lie on his part?

 _It is better to keep it to myself rather than facing the truth._ Chise shivered and stared at  
the man in the painting. He was heralding his lover upwards but never taking his gaze from her. His touch on the woman looked so delicate… as if he made one wrong move, their dream would shatter and she would fall back down to the Earth without him.

" _If I told Elias my feelings or if he discovered them, would he no longer want me with him? He did say he intended to make me his bride… but that was two years ago."_ Chise wondered to herself and to her familiar whom she knew was listening to her thoughts.

" _Chise?"_ Ruth's gentle voice invaded her mind, " _You will always be loved by those around you. Whether that Mage recognizes his feelings or not, I sense something overwhelmingly powerful in the way he regards you."_

 _"I…"_ Chise started but was all too quickly aware of a familiar presence behind her. The rain also seemed to stop falling from the cover that was extended in her direction.

"Chise, you will catch a cold if you stand there any longer. Come we must get you dry…" Elias started out in a gentle scolding but trailed off as his gaze wandered to the painting that held Chise's attention utterly transfixed.

"Elias?" Chise had her back to the window and was now facing the Thorn Mage. Fire burned across her face as she realized why he had faltered in his reprimands; he had seen the painting of the intimate couple. What must he think of her? What was running through that skull of his? Usually, she could easily see his emotions on his face when he was in his glamour. This time, however, he was stone-faced cold. There was nothing there. No emotion.

Elias felt a sharp pain in his chest that was more uncomfortable than he cared to admit. Why was she staring so intently at this piece? A thought struck him even more violently… She was almost seventeen. At that age he supposed her indifference to human males had probably disappeared and was quickly replaced by an overwhelming attraction. Would his dear Robin be lost to him already? Elias wasn't prepared for this sort of competition. Of course he was one of the most powerful Mages in the world and he was more than respected, as well as feared, yet Chise didn't care about any of those things. How long did he have with her until she tired of him and yearned for human attention? It did not escape his notice in the least that she kept her distance from him especially when he was in his human glamour… was he so repulsive that not even a human visage could interest her?

"Elias?!" She tugged on his coat.

The Mage didn't even look down at his worried apprentice and said in a monotonous tone, "Come Chise, I think our business here is done."

"W-What?" Chise stuttered, terrified at this new mood he was in, "But I thought we still had to see Angelica?"

Elias did not respond, instead, he politely urged the teen forward with him and turned the corner into an alleyway. Before they were completely hidden in the shadows, he had already started the spell that transported them to London and that would take them back home. Chise quickly latched onto the Mage, vaguely wondering if her worst fears were being confirmed. Was she now disposable?


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello! Thank you everyone for your wonderful reviews! They were so appreciated and made it even easier to write this next chapter! Please enjoy! :)**

From the moment they had returned home and over the course of the next week, Elias failed to ever mention the incident with the painting again. The only reason that Chise knew it had occurred was by the sheer fact that the Mage was practically avoiding her. Not skilled in the art of confrontation herself, Chise chose to ride out the issue and hoped that, given time, Elias would return to his usual demeanor.

"Have you seen Elias?" the young red head asked of the Silky early one afternoon. The Mage had been spending a considerable amount of time locked in his room or in his study and Chise was growing more anxious for his company every passing day.

Silver Lady shook her head silently after putting down the china plate she had been washing at the sink. The apprentice gave a heavy sigh and made her exit up the stairs. It was only moments later that the Silky heard her Lady's footsteps trailing down the hallway and to the front entry. On her way to the door, Chise stuck her head back into the room that Silver was occupying,

"Hey Silver? I'm going to take a walk. I'll be back in a little while."

Silver nodded solemnly, noticing that Chise had the same journal she had been sketching in a week prior tucked tightly under her arm.

Before Chise could open the door, Ruth appeared from the lounge, "Would you like me to accompany you?"

To his shock and disappointment, she shook her head, "I'd like to be alone for a bit. I'll call out to you if I get too bored." She quickly made her exit before he could protest.

Chise had made the decision to enter the forest's edge so that she could have at least a small portion of privacy from anyone strolling the fields. Once she found a suitable tree to use as back support, she sat down and flipped open her journal. Her newest addition to her drawings was a fair reproduction of the painting she had seen in London. She traced the lines with a finger, not caring about a few graphite smudges along the way.

"What happened, Elias? Why have you shut me out?" Chise sighed to the silence around her.

Taking out her small piece of graphite she had stowed in her pocket, Chise began to replace the man's head with an elongated animal skull and elegant horns, twisting outwards. She decided to clothe the mostly nude male's body in a billowing robe that resembled the Thorn Mage's attire. Turning her attention to the female figure on the page, she drew a stone necklace and cropped the hair into something that she thought resembled her own. It wasn't until a man's voice with childlike glee filled the once serene forest that the Sleigh beggy's heart dropped. The intonation was all too familiar and Chise's whole being filled with dread.

"Well isn't this a treat? My sweet little robin is here to greet me!" the King of the Fae came bounding out of what seemed to be thin air and wrapped Chise in a possessive hug, "My, my, my… aren't you as precious as ever?"

Chise tried to breathe between the suffocating embraces, "K-King Oberon… I–"

As always, Oberon was full of boundless energy that was released in spurts. He cut the teen off, "Where is your Thorn? Why are you here alone? Don't you know it is unsafe to be in the forest alone? I don't feel the presence of your familiar… such a foolish child, Robin! Oh well, all that matters is that I get to meet with you again! You are so very precious to me, afterall."

Odd though it may have been, Chise always felt much calmer in the presence of the King rather than his wife, Queen Titania. Oberon was unpredictable and annoying at the best of times, but the Queen of the Fae held a hidden danger behind her fair facade. She meant well but there seemed to be an undeniable line that Chise was terrified to cross.

Oberon anxiously awaited the teen's reply and Chise threw out the best explanation she could muster, "I just… wanted some time to myself… Ruth and Elias are at home."

"Did they upset you, my sweet little Robin?" Oberon's smile darkened and he laughed mischievously, "Shall I punish them?"

Chise wondered if she would ever be able to explain herself out of this situation, "No, no! They haven't done anything! I just thought it would be nice to have a little solitude." She glanced down at the journal that had fallen to the forest floor when the satyr had pounced on her. It was then that she realized that she had just made the biggest mistake to date. The King's gaze followed her own and he had snatched the book up before she could even register what had happened.

"Oh! What is this?" Oberon jumped up on a large tree root, out of Chise's reach, and opened the journal.

She could have cried in embarrassment as she pleaded with him, "Please, King Oberon! Please give that back! That is private!"

"Tsk-tsk, we don't hold secrets here! Oh!" he flipped through the pages, not quite understanding why she should be embarrassed but admiring the figures portrayed on each sheet, "Precious and talented! Why keep this little gift hidden away? I, for one, think that that is rather selfish our little Robin!"

He jumped down within Chise's reach but the Sleigh beggy had given up hope of getting her journal back before her sketches were revealed, "I see your Grim and that caretaker banshee has been a few of your subjects but I seriously must protest… while I understand that Thorn is your betrothed, is he really a worthy subject to warrant _this_ many depictions?!"

Chise was actually fairly surprised at his reaction to her secret, guilty pleasure. She looked up at the Fairy King with a newfound curiosity, "You… think I am talented?" Chise was always used to being loved and adored by all the fairy creatures because of something she was born with and couldn't control. Hearing praise from a Fae for an actual skill that she had taught herself was unfamiliar and it touched a part of her that she didn't know existed.

Oberon stared at her, dumb-founded for a split second, and then broke out in a child-like laughter, "My sweet little girl, you truly are so precious to the Fae and you are so silly!" he ruffled her hair, "Oh! I have a great idea!"

The nimble fingers started flipping through the journal trying to find a blank page and Chise snapped out of her stupor realizing what he was about to find, "No! Wait!"

He ignored her words and thumbed the leaf of artwork even faster, "Why don't you draw me, little Robin? I am, of course, the most handsome of all the Fae, don't you agree?! Oh I would just be–" Oberon stopped speaking when he came across one drawing in particular.

Chise saw the page with the smudged graphite and went cold. What could she say to him? Nothing, she knew. There was nothing that could explain away the intimate drawing and she wished she could crawl into a hole and just die. She gave a whimper, "O-Oberon please…"

"Oh my…" Oberon whispered, almost reverently, as he traced the curves of the figures entwined in each other's embrace, "Your attachment to the half-baked Mage is even stronger than either Titania or I had originally thought. However," he frowned and tossed the journal to Chise, "your shame at my discovery speaks louder to me than I care to admit."

"Huh? Wait, what do you mean?" Chise found her voice and opened the journal to the last illustration in her book. She looked it over, satisfied that it was safe, and then snapped her focus up to Oberon's disturbed expression, "I am not ashamed!"

The king cocked his head, unconvinced, "My sweet Robin, you did not want me to see your book… and I suspect you are alone right now so that the Mage and your familiar could not witness what you seem to be so mortified over."

"I'm not–" Chise clutched the journal, hating herself.

"You cannot lie to me," Oberon said, indifferently, "It is not a secret that your Thorn Mage purchased you to be his little bride." He crossed his arms over his chest, leaned down to her level and stared straight through her while letting their noses practically touch from the close proximity, "Intimacy in any form is expected when one is betrothed. Why do you fear to return affection?"

Chise gritted her teeth as she met his gaze, "There is nothing to return."

"Hmm…" Oberon observed her with a new thought.

"He said so himself that he could not experience feelings like a human and to expect him to return such emotions would just be a lie," Chise straightened up and turned from the King of the Fae with clenched fists as she let the journal fall to the ground, "If he found out how I felt, it could ruin what relationship we currently have. I couldn't bear that."

Chise turned her head to glance back at him, "You see, I have been so very selfish… but I will hide my heart forever if it means that Elias will keep me by his side. I guess I have always cared more about not getting hurt than anything else."

Oberon gave an exasperated moan, "All this could be solved in seconds if you just told that stupid Mage that you love– actually… wait," Chise turned around to see something very frightening… it was Oberon who looked as though he just had an epiphany,

"Hold on!" he whined in annoyance, "This is completely wrong."

"Huh?" Chise was more than confused.

Appearing extremely irritated, Oberon flicked Chise in the forehead and pouted, "The both of you are like children, honestly! The nerve of that thick-skulled mage! I shouldn't even be having this discussion with you!"

Rubbing the spot where she had been assaulted, Chise hesitantly took a glimpse of the green-haired satyr, "Discussion?"

He huffed and stomped over to pick up the book filled with sketches of the mage and turned to the newest addition where she had improvised Elias and herself into the lovers from the painting. Oberon pointed to the picture violently and then shoved it an inch from her face, "Explain this to me? The sheer idea that you have to fantasize and hide the idea of being a couple, no the idea of being LOVERS, is absolutely ridiculous. I shouldn't have to hear you blabber on and on and on, pitying yourself, about that numskull!"

Oberon scoffed, shutting his eyes indignantly, "What have the two of you been doing for the last two years? Hmm? Watching the grass grow or the woolly bugs fly?! Where are the little blonde children I was promised?"

She couldn't believe her ears, "Promised?"

Nodding vigorously, Oberon waved his arms around, "You mean to tell me that the two of you are still at square one after TWO excruciatingly long years?"

Chise cocked her head to the side, "Time passes much faster outside of the fairy kingdoms…" her hands found themselves on her hips, "It hasn't been that long for you to wait and besides that, we aren't even married yet."

Oberon perked up at the teen's forwardness and delighted in it, "It seems my innocent Robin has a backbone."

It was comments like the one he just made that always seemed to ruin Chise's big moment and it caught her off guard… again, "Huh?"

Smiling widely, the King shoved the journal into Chise's hands, "Titania and I have wagered on the number of children you are to have, and I need to win. Do everyone a favor, precious one, return to your Mage, consummate your marriage tonight so it can be official, and all of this whiny ' _he doesn't love me so I can't love him'_ nonsense will be over."

Chise went white and then her face went up in burning flames of embarrassment, "C-consummate?"

Oberon grabbed her shoulders and steered her towards the fields that separated the forest from the house, "The Fae only recognize a union at consummation. The clock is ticking, dearest!" With one final nudge, Chise found herself out of the protection of the forest trees and in the open expanse that led towards her home. Home… where Ruth and Silver were waiting… and Elias.

When she was out of sight, the King made his way back towards the closest entrance to his kingdoms. Before arriving at the entrance, Oberon saw his lovely wife perched on a large boulder. She smiled curiously, "What has you in such a flustered state, dear husband?"

Oberon sighed, "Our little Robin."

Titania perked up and joined her husband's side in anticipation, "What is wrong?"

He materialized a torn piece of paper that appeared it had come from a book, "I had a rather laborious talk with our sweet bird about a problem she has been having. I am sure I gave her the answer she was looking for."

The fairy queen braced for what damage her foolish partner had wrought. She snatched the paper from his hands and stared at the image before her, "What is this?"

Putting his hands behind his head as he started towards the entrance to their realm, Oberon sighed, "Apparently our precious Chise can only fantasize on paper about that ridiculous Mage because she refuses to tell him how she truly feels. She believes that Thorn is indifferent to her."

"And she gave this to you?" Titania waved the sketch at him.

"No," he laughed mischievously, "I swiped it when she wasn't looking."

The queen glanced at the figures on the paper, deep in thought, "And what, pray tell, was your miraculous advice that sent her running home?"

 **Hey everyone! I am sorry this is so short again! Its hard to write lengthier chapters because I only have time to write at random points through my days! I apologize for the lack for Elias in this chapter! I promise that he will make his grand appearance in the next one! Please review and let me know how you liked it!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello! I am so sorry for how long this took me to post! My sister went on a trip to China so I had to watch her four kids (ages 3, 5, 7, and 9! On top of having a 4 year old and a 6 month old baby myself!) so there was NO way I had any time to write until now! Again, I do apologize for this chapter not being terribly long but I figured you guys needed an update! I can't believe how many of you guys reviewed! I am honored and amazed since this is still a relatively small fandom (fanfiction-wise anyways).**

 **To answer some of your reviews: Yes I have read and own all the Manga and am up to date on every episode! How could i not be? Haha! Also, if any of you are artists out there, I would absolutely LOVE to see any fan art done of the painting that Chise saw in London! I confess I am an artist but its not as fun to make fan art for your own fan fic… is it? Besides, I paint traditionally in the style of classical realism. I AM NOT TALENTED IN DIGITAL ART! There is a disconnect somewhere between my hand, the tablet and then to the computer. Let me know if you guys are interested to the classical artwork that inspired the painting that got Chise in this mess in the first place!**

 **Perhaps I should clarify something as well (to some this could be considered blasphemy) but I prefer the English dub over the original Japanese VA's… so when I write for these characters, I always hear the English voices in my head and their patterns or mannerisms in their speech versus trying to write my dialogue in the form of the subtitles in the original. I found the English voice actors' dialogues for Chise and Elias to be more honest and true to the content in the manga anyways. On that note, it was seriously the ONLY way I was able to write for Oberon, that's for sure. I watched the scenes with Oberon OVER AND OVER AGAIN!**

 **OKAY I WILL STOP RAMBLING! Once again, thank you ALL so much for your support and the reviews have seriously inspired and motivated me more than any of you know!**

That night, Chise had found eating, let alone _finishing_ , her dinner to be an impossible task, much to the chagrin and disapproval of the Silver Lady who had taken extra care to prepare her Lady's favorite meal.

 _"You mean to tell me that you are still at square one?"_ Memories of her encounter with the King of the Fae would not subside in her mind. The Satyr's words swirled and repeatedly took precedence over any other thoughts. Chise couldn't blame Oberon for his reaction. The relationship she shared with Elias had laid practically dormant after she returned home from the incident with the kidnapped dragon and Cartaphilus. Chise's feelings for Elias had intensified significantly after that whole ordeal but the Mage did not seem to have any better grasp on empathy and emotions than before. He would acknowledge his feelings only when she pointed them out and gave them a name. Yet, Chise saw a glimmer of humanity in his red eyes that never let her give up on the man and the beast within.

Waking up from her trance, the red-head noticed that Silver was staring at her, "Sorry, Silver, I know you made dinner especially for me. I-"

"Don't push yourself to eat if you aren't up to it." Ruth already sensed the dread and unhappy thoughts that plagued his ward and tried to appease the Silky by finishing Chise's dinner plate. His actions did very little to lighten the mood of either female in the room and he regretted consuming such large portions of food. Returning to his natural animal form as a Grim, he gave a sympathetic nudge to Chise's lap and then carefully made his way towards the hall where he would lay on the cool wood until the teen decided to retire to her room.

As she laid in bed that night, Chise could not shake her previous thoughts that evening. Oberon's voice still reprimanded her in the private recesses of her head. There was no use to even closing her eyes to sleep at that point when she was haunted with the images of the Fae King and her private sketches. Growing restless and deeply annoyed, Chise glanced at her slumbering familiar and debated whether she should risk waking him if she were to get out of bed. Ruth was fast asleep by her side and appeared to be in a state of food coma.

The teen made up her mind and quietly tip-toed out of the room and down the staircase. It wasn't until she was on the final step before the landing that she recognized a deep and slightly monotonous voice thanking the Silky for bringing him what she assumed to be tea. The sound of porcelain could be heard and Chise's suspicions were confirmed. Peaking around the corner inconspicuously, her green eyes were delighted to find the recluse of a Mage surrounded by stacks of books and documents in the lounge. Chise had never witnessed Elias doing any real work in that room and curiously wondered why Silver was not throwing a fit at the state of the coffee table and furniture.

"No need to hide, Chise." Elias said in a rather matter-of-fact way.

Embarrassed at her childish behavior, the apprentice mage awkwardly entered the occupied room but did not sit down, "Elias…"

"Would you care to join me for a little midnight snack?" he gestured to the small biscuits on the china plate next to his tea, taking care to distract Chise from mentioning anything about his long absence.

The situation was so surreal to her that Chise took a couple seconds to gain her footing once more, "Yes, I think I would like that."

She couldn't grasp the man's behavior. For days, the Mage had ignored her completely and now he was treating her as if nothing had ever happened. Elias cleared a spot on the cushion next to him and beckoned her forward.

"Is there any reason why you cannot find sleep?" he asked when she was beside him.

Chise brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her bent legs. She wanted to tell him about everything that was keeping her awake but refrained with a tired sigh and changed the subject. She knew he would dance around any sensitive topics were she to bring them up.

"I've never seen you do any research or work outside of the study before besides reading the occasional book. How did you get Silver to allow…" she motioned with her arms towards the mess, "ALL of this?"

"Actually, Silver Lady wanted access to the study so she could tidy up a bit and allowed me to work in here just for tonight." Elias responded between sips of his tea.

Chise bit off a piece of her biscuit, "Would you mind if I asked what you are working on?"

"I had hoped you wouldn't have to see any of this and be bothered with it," Elias said softly, "But if you must know… This is part of my research into extending your life."

His response took her by surprise, "I see." Chise whispered, not sure of how to reply. After all that time, he was still dedicating himself to finding a cure to her cursed existence as a Sleigh beggy. Her precarious situation with mortality wasn't something she worried too much about. What actually troubled her more was the shifting moods of her Teacher. He would shut her out of his world then open it back up as if nothing at all had happened which sent her conflicting ideas on how to interact with him. She thought Elias was upset for the past few days meanwhile she only now discovered that he was preoccupied with trying to save _her life!_ Was the Thorn Mage even aware of his odd behavior?

Overcome with multiple emotions, Chise kept quiet until Elias brought her out of her stupor.

"I think I should take a small break from all of this reading," he sounded a little more at ease, leaning back against the couch instead of his previously straightened posture, "Why don't you inform me on your current magic studies? Are you faring well?"

Chise kicked herself at the realization that she hadn't really done any studying since they returned from their trip to London, "Um… well," she racked her brain in the hope that she could recall what she had last been studying, "I still struggle with making drafts. I either exert too much magic or I do not understand what to do with some of the ingredients."

Elias stayed silent, listening intently. Once Chise saw that he was waiting for her to elaborate, she continued explaining her mishaps and failures with different concoctions. After listing off everything she could possibly identify that she might be doing incorrectly, Chise couldn't help but give one small complaint, "I think I wouldn't be making so many mistakes if I had notes. I can only dream of having even a tenth of the memory that you possess. I have a difficult time remembering the little steps in between the different ingredients and recipes."

"I have to agree that potion-making is definitely not your forte." Elias cocked his head in amusement as Chise bowed her head in mock defeat. "You definitely have proven better with casting spells but in order to be a successful mage, you must master all of your techniques. I think you will find, more times than not, that most of your services will be taken up by making healing drafts and salves of some sort or another."

Chise took advantage of Elias' relaxed state and leaned back into him. The warmth she loved so much greeted her again as she came in contact with his side. Elias allowed the affectionate move without complaint. Taking her chin in his gloved hand, he directed her to look up at him, "Tomorrow, I want you to show me a few recipes that you are struggling with and we can have a lesson on collecting the ingredients and the applications of them in potion-making."

Filled with more hope than she ever had before, Chise nodded vigorously to his suggestion of spending the day together. Regardless of any issues they had, the Sleigh beggy was craving his company and she would agree to just about anything if it meant that Elias would stop avoiding her. Chise let her head rest against his arm and stifled a yawn.

"Tired, are we?" Elias offered.

Chise quickly reacted, afraid that he would send her off to bed like a child again just as he used to do when she had first arrived to his home, "A little… but please may I stay a little while longer with you? I… I missed you, Elias."

Shock and confusion was apparent in his voice, "You… did?"

Chise closed her eyes and reveled in the warmth of her teacher. She whispered contentedly, "Please don't leave me alone again… humans can grow cold too."

That morning, Chise awoke to find herself back in her bed and Ruth nudging her arm several times in affection for the girl, "Did you have a good sleep? I sense a large amount of relief from you."

Not surprised to hear Ruth vocalizing her feelings, Chise smiled, "I spent time with Elias last night when I found him in the lounge."

"Good. It was past the time for the Mage to come out of hiding, anyways. While I know I do not fill the emotional relationship you desire from Ainsworth, I will always be here for you. You are never truly without someone who loves you."

The red-head scratch behind the Grim's ear, "Thank you, Ruth. I love you too."

True to his word, Elias had spent most of the morning going over potion recipes with Chise and had suggested that they take a stroll into the surrounding forest to scavenge for some items that they did not have on hand. Ruth accompanied the pair into the brightly lit grove of trees and decided to pass the time sniffing out a particularly elusive fae creature that was just begging to be chased. The familiar left Elias and Chise alone so they could concentrate on gathering ingredients After a half hour of scouring the forest floor for a variety of things, the Mage had found the next item on their list.

"Over here, Chise." Elias called for his apprentice to join his side and pointed towards the tiny mushroom that they had been searching for.

As Chise bent down to carefully remove the little fungus with the knife that Elias had supplied her, she heard the sound of crunching leaves. It seemed like they were going to have company. Chise did not even have to lift her head to see who was there. Every part of her body went cold when she heard Elias' voice acknowledge their visitors,

"My Lady, Queen Titania… to what do we owe the honor of your company?" Elias addressed the Fae royalty in his emotionless voice. The Lady of Tir na Nog and her entourage of fae creatures stood before them with a mischievous glint in their eyes that always made Chise uneasy.

"We came to return what my fool of a husband took from your youngling, Thorn." Titania's lilting voice floated on the air around them.

Elias was unsure of what she was referring to, "I am not sure I follow."

The Lady of the Fae approached Chise and stroked the teen's cheek, "Oberon found you yesterday evening, did he not, sweet Robin?"

Chise was horrified at where this encounter was going. Just when she thought that she could forget the whole ordeal with the painting in London and the King's discovery of her sketchbook… it all came rushing back in one blow. She felt a lump in her throat form and it made it uncomfortable to speak. She decided to just nod her head and keep her gaze to the floor. She couldn't bear to make eye contact with Elias at that point.

"No need to be so shy, my dear," Titania cooed before turning her attention back to Elias, "Oberon took something very dear to Chise and I am afraid it tore when it was removed from her journal."

"And?" Elias' deep vibrato emanated from him, plainly showing annoyance that Titania was obviously toying with him. He couldn't even begin to fathom what she had hidden up her sleeve.

The Queen laughed, "I'm not sure I should be the one to say anymore than that, my dear Thorn. But I come bearing gifts to apologize for my husband's lack of respect for your bride," she turned towards the small fae rock-like creature that always accompanied her and motioned for him to come forward, "Spriggan, the gifts for our Robin, please."

Ruth had appeared at some point after the arrival of the Queen and he now stood protectively at Chise's side. Spriggan presented the _gifts_ to Lady Titania who, in turn, neared the Sleigh beggy and formally offered them as an apology for her Oberon's behavior.

"Sweet Chise, please accept these on behalf of our realms. Charcoal," she gestured towards the thin charred sticks in a beautifully carved wooden tray, handing it to the teen, "gathered from each faery kingdom under my rule… and leaves of woven parchment," Titania displayed the sewn papers to her and set them atop the wooden tray, "from the children of the forest that reside within the flora."

Chise didn 't know how to react and was still unsure about Elias' perception of this, "Thank you but… I-"

The creature known as Spriggan interrupted her, disgusted, "Are you declining gifts from the King and Queen?!"

"N-no-" Chise stuttered, but was saved when Elias took the items from her arms and addressed Spriggan, sharing equal distaste that the fae held for him.

"We accept these, but only on the basis that they are peace offerings…" Elias turned to Titania with distrust in his voice, "We cannot accept these items if they are to be used as favors to be returned in another form."

The Queen smiled, "These gifts are merely just that, _gifts_. Please don't tell me you weren't aware of how talented your Bride is."

"And what would Chise want with these items?" Elias countered, careful to still retain a respectful tone when addressing the Lady before him.

Titania turned back to Chise as if to give her a blessing, "May our charred vines guide your hand and may these woven flesh of trees give life to the passions of he who you desire above all others."

"Didn't you know our sweet Robin is a budding artist?" The King of the Fae, Oberon, came bounding through the thicket of trees, appearing to be right on cue.

Elias spoke aloud to no one in particular as if in revelation and also guilt, "Hm… so it was an art journal? I never... knew... she enjoyed-" He uttered the words reverently as his gaze met the young woman beside him but was interrupted by the tactless Satyr.

"If you actually spent time with our Robin, you probably would've noticed her sketching her Familiar, and that Banshee house servant of yours... but mostly you would have been able to see the face of the man who stole her heart!" Oberon laughed gleefully.

Chise could feel the vibration from the Thorn Mage's animalistic growl that reverberated deep within his throat.

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	4. Chapter 4

**SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG! Crazy family emergencies have been popping up one after another! My son was attacked by a dog so we have been dealing with surgeries at the moment but I finally found a free day to type this up! Please REVIEW! Thank you for being so patient! Sorry if there are a million typos! I will have to go back and re-edit but I wanted to get this out ASAP!**

Chise could feel the vibration from the Thorn Mage's animalistic growl that reverberated deep within his throat.

Oberon huffed, unperturbed at the warning tone from the half-man-half-beast in front of him, "Oh Thorn, you are overreacting! I thought you might want to take a look–"

When Chise saw the satyr produce the torn sketch, she reacted on impulse and grabbed the page from his hand, "NO!"

Jerked from his previous state of rage, Elias became speechless when he saw a tear run down the red-head's cheek. Chise shook her head as she pressed the paper to her chest, right over her heart. If she ever were to confront Elias about her feelings towards him, she would never let it happen in this way. Were the Fae so selfish that they would potentially risk a fragile relationship just to play games? Who was she kidding? Of course they would! Oberon and Titania would not dwell on a broken heart. In that moment, the sleigh beggy lowered the drawing and gazed at it for one brief moment before crushing the page into a ball and throwing it to the ground. Her eyes darted towards the Queen and King and all thoughts of formalities left her.

"How could you?" she whispered just loud enough for all to hear.

Titania frowned, obviously not expecting this reaction, "Dear-"

"No," Chise interrupted while her voice started to break with bubbling emotions that she was fighting to hold in, "Both of you knew exactly what you were doing when you came here."

Elias found his opportunity to speak up, "Chise, be careful what you say to them-"

He stopped abruptly when his apprentice met his eyes with anger and also regret, "I am so sorry, Elias."

Before she had even taken a step backwards, Elias knew that she would run. His first instinct was to follow her but he had finally come to realize a few things about his ward… one of which was that the girl needed time to recoup and needed space to gather herself together. Looking back on the real reason why she felt the need to escape was that Chise wanted to keep something private. He could definitely relate. However much she wished and begged him to open up to her, he still held many things back. It wasn't improbable that Chise probably realized this too. Elias had tried to be better about sharing more of himself when she returned home after the unbearable situation with Cartaphilus, but he couldn't bring himself to extend very far past all of the walls he had built around him.

Ruth started after Chise, "I'll go find her."

"No need," Elias stopped him, "It would be better if you returned home to Silver Lady and helped her prepare for Chise's arrival. Also," he offered the charcoal and leaflets to Ruth, "take this with you."

The familiar didn't need to question what the Mage's actions would be. Turning to his human form, the grim gingerly took the parcel of supplies. Ruth knew Elias would bring her home safely and so he turned in the opposite direction that Chise had fled and made the journey back towards the house.

"Elias-" Titania started but faltered when she saw the Thorn Mage raise his hand in protest.

Oberon wasn't going to listen to the man, "Our little bird is a strange girl… and here we came all this way to help her. Well at least all hope is not lost… she did leave the drawing here. Perhaps she left it for you, Thorn." He pointed to the forest floor.

"I've heard enough," the Mage sighed while picking up the dirty, crumpled drawing and did not even bother to open it back up, "I've only seen Chise react this way once before and it was for a good reason. She will have to explain this situation to me herself. I do not need to listen to fae who clearly have their own selfish goals in mind."

Spriggan gave a snarling growl, "No one speaks to-"

Without hesitation, Elias whipped out his cane-like wand and shoved it between the eyes of the little fae, "I suggest you step aside."

Titania intervened before the little fae could say anything, "Spriggan let him go."

Once Chise had found the enormous tree she was looking for, she took refuge in it's embracing roots and let silent tears fall. All she could focus on was the anger and frustration she felt inside her. The red head was upset with no one except herself.

 _"It would have been wise to listen to Ruth while I still had the chance,"_ she thought.

It was going to be mortifying to return home where Elias would inevitably be waiting for her once he found out the truth from Oberon and Titania. What would he think of her when he learned of her feelings for him? Would the Faery King and Queen even explain her emotions? Or did they just see it on a physical level because of the sketch? Sinking even further into her despair, Chise wondered if Elias would grasp that she _loved_ him or if he only believed that she desired him. It was embarrassing either way she imagined it. She never thought about the intimate side of what a romantic relationship would entail since she tried to not even entertain the possibility of having such an interaction. The apprentice played the scene over and over in her mind of how Elias would greet her when she arrived at the house. It was depressing. For someone who only saw things logically and not with his heart or feelings mixed in, he must think she was truly a fool.

"Chise?" a warm, deep voice reverberated off the trees.

The Thorn mage saw his pupil cuddled up to the base of a yew tree and he sighed. She looked so ashamed of herself. She really must have wanted to keep her love interest a secret from him. He understood why since she had had first-hand experience of his jealousy issues. He had vowed from that moment so long ago to never let such feelings ever resurface to that degree. Though, to his defense, it was the first time he had ever felt jealousy when Stella came to visit Chise. He was much more attuned to the shifts in his mannerisms now.

Chise felt Elias' presence near her and caught a glimpse of him crouching down just on the other side of the root she was leaning against. When he found a suitable seated position, she realized that he was so close that she could feel the warmth of his body heat and yet, it was still too painful for her to get a good look at him. After what felt like an eternity of awkward silence, Elias sighed and did something completely unexpected.

"Not to be too presumptuous, but I think I recognize the emotions that you are feeling: embarrassment and shame. I cannot, for certain, say that I experienced the _exact_ emotions you are harboring right now, yet I see so many similarities…" Elias commented in such a way that he could have been talking about the weather. Chise actually turned towards him to make sure that she really was sitting next to the Thorn Mage, the infamous Pilum Muralis. Was he actually about to share something personal with her?

Waiting until he saw a sliver of his apprentice's emerald eyes that let him know she was listening closely, he continued, "After I had left Lindel and began to venture out on my own, I had met a young girl, around Stella's age, who lived in a nearby village. She seemed frightened of my appearance, at first, but soon her curiosity got the better of her. I was unsure why such a meddlesome child would take interest in me for an extended period of time. It was an innocence that I had never known before."

Elias lifted his head towards the sky in contemplation, "I still had a hard time preparing meals for myself so she would bring me food each day. She would sing little songs to me and had even convinced me that I looked rather dashing with a crown of flowers atop my head and horns. I used to let her weave the flowers for me on every visit. It didn't take long before this little girl assured me that I was her best friend. When she grew to a young adult, she had me enter the village marketplace where she confessed her undying love for me to the whole town. Luckily I did not know what love was but I did know what disgust and scorn looked like."

"It wasn't until then that I found out that it was indeed Ashen Eyes that had cast a spell over an old hag, disguised her as a beautiful young girl to my eyes only and had her dress me up in flowers for his own sick enjoyment. I am grateful that I at least knew much less about human emotions back then or I might have had a more intense reaction."

When he finished, Elias saw Chise with a sad, appreciative smile on her face, "Why did you choose to share something like this with me now?"

Elias met her gaze, "Two years ago, I recall you finding out many things about me that I never wished for you to know. In return, you told me something extremely personal about yourself. I thought perhaps I should share something I have always kept hidden away since it was obvious you did not want me to learn of your sketching in your journal and the ever-elusive love interest that Oberon was able discover."

He reached into his robe and retrieved the wrinkled ball of paper and held it out for Chise to take. She was stunned. He hadn't opened it up to look at it! A small spark of hope started to swell in her chest as she gingerly accepted the crinkled page. Elias patted his lap in a silent gesture, too afraid to ask for her touch verbally. All too eagerly, Chise scaled the root that separated them and climbed into her teacher's warm embrace.

"Thank you Elias."

He grabbed her chin and pulled it up towards him, "I want to know more about this newfound talent you have with figure drawing and I someday would appreciate you explaining the other _situation_ to me."

The red-head nodded soberly and then asked, "Did Oberon not tell you anything after I left?"

Elias groaned at the thought of the Faery King, "He wanted to, but I told them I would wait until you were ready to reach out to me."

"This is so unlike you, Elias." Chise could hardly believe what she was hearing.

The mood turned somber and Elias looked more serious than she could ever remember. He pronounced his words slowly and deliberately, "I lost you once. I can not lose you again."

She laid her head on Elias' chest, "I could never leave you."

Chise felt Elias exhale in defeat, a sign showing that he did not believe her and yet, he covered it up, "I know you wouldn't. Chise?"

She hummed back at him and he continued his thoughts, "Would you mind if we stayed here for a little while longer? I don't want to feel cold– no… I don't want to feel _lonely_ again…"

Smiling at the Mage, Chise nuzzled him around his snout, "Hey Elias? Could we maybe play a little game?"

"Game?" he countered, taken by surprise.

"Kids in my school used to play something similar... We ask each other a simple question and we have to guess what the other will answer." she explained, "I'll ask the first question and I will guess your answer and you must guess mine. What is your favorite meal of the day? Breakfast, lunch, or dinner?"

Elias pondered thoughtfully and Chise thought he looked exquisite, "Yours would be lunch. That's when you eat the most."

Laughing but also embarassed, Chise asked, "You pay that close attention to the amount I eat?!" she shook her head with amusement and then guessed Elias' answer, "You prefer dinner."

He cocked his head, "How did you figure that one out?"

The apprentice traced the seams on her teacher's white leather gloves, "You are not a morning person and Silver always has to demand your attendance at the table during lunch when you would rather be working. Besides, you always seem happiest in the evenings when you have completed the tasks for the day."

Elias had to give her credit for her keen eye. He realized it was his turn to ask a question, "Would you rather travel by land or air?"

"Hmm…" Chise weighed the options, thinking about the Mage's answer, "Land? We always seem to travel on land together."

There was a hint of amusement in his tone, "You're right. Now for you, my first instinct would be that you enjoy traveling by air considering your wild trip across the sky from Iceland… but I have a feeling you prefer land as well."

A smile and blush crept up on Chise before she realized how hot her face was really becoming, "Yes… I enjoy it because I get to spend more time with you." she shook herself and quickly changed the subject, "Next question! Do you prefer being male or female when you are in your human glamour?"

He didn't know how to respond to that besides saying, "Is that a real question?"

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